Keep this nation under your care

This morning I wrote this message to my family.

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Every once in a while my mind flashes back to me as an 18-year-old kid in an office at what was then the Philadelphia Navy Yard. My right hand was raised as Captain F.H. Mitchell, USMC, stood in front of me and administered the oath --

I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same

I was lucky. I never had to go to Vietnam with some of my classmates and friends. I had hay fever and they gave me an honorable discharge and sent me home so I could finish college and go to seminary. They didn't want someone who might start sneezing in the rice paddies. I got to go on with my life because six recruits had died in training at Ribbon Creek in 1956 and one died on a forced march at Quantico when I was there in 1963. The Corps didn't want another investigation of their training methods. I was a Marine for a little more than one year. 

Still, taking the oath always mattered to me. And the few moments in that small Marine Corps office on August 15, 1962 returns from time to time. 

A lot of us have taken that oath. I know Tom did at one point. And yesterday when there was an attempt to overthrow our government that oath was on my mind. And it seems it was on the mind of others. Everyone in the House and Senate had taken that oath, some several times. So had many of the police officers and National Guard troops that responded. I could see that people who differed from me politically were set on living the oath--Pence, Graham, and others (even if they were rather late in getting there). Pelosi spoke of it being the Feast of the Epiphany and shared some of Francis' prayer -"Lord, make me a channel of thy peace." One Republican congressman was filmed talking with what then were still just protesters. They wanted to know if he would deny the truth of the election results. He spoke of his support for much that Trump had accomplished. And he said, "no" he wasn't going to support an attempt to delay acknowledging that truth. They pressed him further. He told them he had taken an oath. They pressed more. He yelled, "I took an oath to God. Doesn't that matter anymore?" Only one protester said, "Yes, it matters to me." 

I watched Newshour with Judy Woodruff as the events unfolded. I was annoyed when Judy kept calling the rioters "protesters." She did the same thing when the crazies on the other side tore apart Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis and other cities. I stayed with watching Newshour because they do mostly try to get it right. Later I realized that the reports by people standing or sitting some distance from the action did not let me see the true horror of what was going on for the human beings in the building and our nation. So, I looked at videos and pictures of officers struggling with the mob, of congresswomen and men hiding on the floor and in barricaded offices, and of the desecration of the nation's holy space. If you also missed some of that take a look at the videos below and the attached PDF of pictures. During the day and later as I looked at the pictures and videos I'd choke up, feel gut wrenching anger, and remember the oath. 

I loved watching Senator Romney, “The best way we can show respect for the voters who were upset is by telling them the truth”

Each day as I say the Office, the Daily Prayers of the Church, there are the versicle and response prayers. One set of V. & R. is especially for days such as yesterday.

V.    Lord, keep this nation under your care;

R.    And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

So, Romney's word's about "telling them the truth" have continued to ring. Justice and truth are intertwined. 

I know that in this family there are Democrats and Republicans. I know the unspoken norm is to not fight about it. But what happened yesterday wasn't about Republicans and Democrats. It was about our nation. And I just wanted you to know what I experienced. 

I love each of you,

Bob

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Our loyalty and obedience to God is actualized in a series of sacramental oaths, vows, and promises. I have made them in the Scouts, the Marine Corps, marriage, ordination and the Order of the Ascension. I have been faithful to all, and I have failed all. I have been strengthened and hurt as others around me have been faithful and failed. It’s enough to make you humble.  Sometimes we lose track of ourselves and our promises. And sometimes in the face of challenges we recover ourselves and our duty. Clearly that was the case for some people yesterday.  We are of a tradition that rejoices in those who are found – “‘for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15: 24)

In Elaine Chao's resignation as Secretary of Transportation she wrote,"Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed ... As I’m sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside.”  For me that gave credence to Leader McConnell's, "The United States and the United States Congress have faced down much greater threats than the unhinged crowd we saw today. We've never been deterred before, and we will not be deterred today. They tried to disrupt our democracy. They failed. They failed. They failed to attempt to obstruct the Congress."

The Scouts make promises regarding our duty to God, country, other people and self. The Marine motto is Semper Fidelis and values honor, courage, and commitment; all expressions of how to live the oath within that body.  The Corps thinks of it as a commitment even after leaving service.

These sacramental commitments are sometimes lived out in the gray places in between rights and responsibilities, law and duty, legitimate authority and moral behavior.

It appears that the DC National Guard was activated by way of a conversation between Christopher Miller and Vice President Pence.  Maybe that side stepping of the President was their act of responsibility, duty and moral behavior. In Nixon’s last days as president Secretary of State Kissinger, Chief of Staff Alexander Haig, Defense Secretary James Schlesinger and others, played possibly illegal roles in being the guard rails around Nixon during his last days in office. For example, Schlesinger apparently ordered the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ignore any White House military initiatives lacking his signature.

Recently a friend spoke with me about fears that the President might misuse the military in an attempt to hold onto power.

Here’s what that comes down to. Trump declares martial law. A few generals support him. Demonstrators in the streets of DC are “mostly peaceful.”  Near the White House some far left demonstrators start throwing Molotov cocktails at the police and national guard troops. A right-wing group is off to the side. They are carrying weapons. A National Guard major orders the soldiers to load their rifles. The platoon leader, a 21-year-old lieutenant tells them to not obey the order. An 18-year-old private looks to his old, experienced, grizzly sergeant, a 26-year-old accountant, and says, “What should we do, Sarge?” 

In the end it comes down to a human being willing to break the rules in order to preserve the rules.  Here it is in Crimson Tide.   And here’s the conclusion. – “you were both right, and you were also both wrong.”  Got to love the movies! 

Lord, Keep this nation under your care

rag+

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Resources

Reflections: Spiritual and Political

Mother Erika's Epiphany reflection - A New World

Sister Michelle, OA - Her message to the Order of the Ascension 

A PDF of pictures

Videos 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2HpJ0dsmNY&feature=youtu.be  In the chamber, Guns drawn, evacuating. A woman asks, “Where are we going?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92vU-kXm5m8 The mob storming Congress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELJcj7w5PiE  For me this was the most frightening scene of the day. A mob moving in on a lone police officer.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhtULpI3gKw   Newshour overview of the day.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/09/media/reliable-sources-january-8/index.html   CNN overview on 8th 

New Yorker video released 1-17-21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=270F8s5TEKY&feature=emb_logo 

Oath of Members of Congress

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."

Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath:

“I, __________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Thank God our time is now

Yesterday's events are obviously deeply disturbing and also, in my view, not very surprising.  I was pleased to see a number of Republicans retreat from their prior efforts and also make clear statements condemning violence and insisting on the peaceful transfer of power.  I assume it's too little, too late, but I hope I'm wrong.  I hope this will be a needed wake up call for those in power to focus on the truth and their commitment to the Constitution, not a commitment to Trumpism, and certainly not to their own "electability."  (Note that I've also spent the last four years encouraging Democrats to focus on duty and truth, rather than demonizing their opponents.) 

The fact is, though, I don't have any control over what happens next, but I can say the prayers, I can love my enemies, I can vote responsibly, and I can continue to hold my friends and myself to account.  I can, with God's help and the love of my brothers and sisters in Christ, seek checks on my own blindness and work to identify and repent of my own sins. I can forgive the sins of others.

We had a brief vision of bipartisan agreement yesterday as our leaders had a terrifying experience of the "now when wrong/ Comes up to face us everywhere."   I'm guessing that agreement will begin to fray almost immediately - I believe there was almost a fist fight on the floor of the House early this morning as Republicans and Democrats scuffled over who was to blame. 

Mitt Romney reminded us that the best way to correct course is for leaders to tell voters the truth.  That holds in our parishes, as well.  Of course, "the truth" is not that Republicans are evil or that Trump supporters are simply deluded morons/racists. It is true that there was not widespread fraud in this election and that Joe Biden was duly elected President. Just as Donald Trump was duly elected President in 2016.   

If you cringe at that latter statement and start adding a bunch of caveats (and I do a bit), take a moment to notice how you are also resisting the plain fact. And then imagine what it must be like for millions and millions of Americans - some of whom are your parishioners, family, friends, and neighbors - to have lost an election they believe was absolutely critical to the future, and to be told over and over again by their leaders that the results were due to widespread fraud. 

I can't control that but I can seek to understand it and to have empathy. I can say the prayers, I can love my enemies. I can unequivocally condemn violence, whether from "my" side or the "other" side. I can seek and acknowledge truth, whoever says it. I can repent and I can offer forgiveness.  I can thank God our time is now.  

Michelle Heyne, OA
Presiding Sister
Order of the Ascension 

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This was sent to all members of the Order of the Ascension this morning, and has been slightly edited.  

Picking quarrels and provoking trouble

There is in the church a form of “citizen journalism” that mirrors what we see in society as a whole. Outside the church we see examples such as Daphne Caruana Galizia’s work on corruption in Malta and Zhang Zhan’s reporting on the Chinese government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Daphne was dealt with by assassination and Zhang by imprisonment. Both annoying people to those who would exercise arbitrary power.

The charge against Zhang was “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Within the church you have those who have pointed to the need for action in regard to sexual abuse and racism, calls within parishes for greater transparency, and our own work on “St. Paul’s: Growth & Decline.”  When are those of us so engaged “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and when are we instruments of holy truth? Let me assure you that this article will not answer that question.

All this came to mind as I was completing a section of a book Michelle Heyne and I are writing on how change can be facilitated within parish churches (available sometime in 2021, I hope). The book will bring a combination of behavioral science and Anglican ascetical theology resources. In the section on “Identity and Direction” we make use of a modified version of the Johari Window in exploring ways in which parish leaders can shape a healthier culture of inclusion and transparency, holiness and humility, truth and harmony. In the Johari Window it’s about expanding the window of the “area of free activity” by reducing the windows of blindness, avoidance and hiddenness.

Leaders can do that by establishing structures and processes that make it easier to hear information that people outside the parish may have and enabling reflection and conversation within the parish. For example, when in a search process invite the rectors and lay leaders of the three closest parishes to meet with the final candidates. Another example is maintaining a norm of listening carefully to people and information that sets off discomfort in us.

There are times when a parish doesn’t get to freely enter into learning about itself. Times when the parish is confronted by information that some in the congregation have been aware of but, for a variety of reasons, had not brought forward. There are the scandals of theft and sexual abuse in which complaints are finally made. There’s the Mystery Worshipper with reviews of worship services. And there are news articles, blog postings and reports issued assessing the life and work of parishes. Depending on the extent of challenge in the material, and the humility and courage of the parish leadership, the information may be engaged constructively or resisted. When leaders are faced with information that makes them uncomfortable the danger is that they will dig their hole even deeper, avoid more and become even less transparent.

There’s nothing more for Michelle and me to add to the report on St. Paul’s. The parish is engaging a search process with all the opportunities for contemplation and renewal that such moments offer. Our more recent conversations have been a combination of regret that some in the parish and diocese were so offended, and reacted so badly, and insights about the responsibilities and cost of citizen journalism. 

For us the personal cost of publishing the “growth and decline” report included being shunned, exclusion from saying the Office with other parishes, having to leave our parish community, knowing that there are people now unable to openly pray for us without being challenged, me having to move to a different area of the city, attempts to force us to remove the report from the web, and a Title IV complaint under the “conduct unbecoming” section (also known as “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”)

Of course, by Grace there has been much good. We’re now in a parish that received us with hugs and “welcome home!” I now live in the most comfortable housing I’ve had since moving to Seattle, in a neighborhood with coffee shops and bakeries.  Michelle and I live near enough to one another that we have been able to take long walks twice each week and meet for a drink and Evening Prayer on Wednesdays (on my balcony) – all of which has been helpful during this year of virus. There are new friends and new energy for writing the unfinished books. I was able to get to know the bishop of my home diocese and experience his honesty and kindness.

On this the Feast of Thomas Becket it may be useful to contemplate the mystery. Not so much that of Thomas’ persistence and courage, or even that it was convenient for the church to make him a hasty saint, but that the attempts of the powerful to suppress his shrine failed.  Blessed Thomas, a flawed saint, remains an icon of resistance to arbitrary power.   

Today is also the Feast of the Holy Innocents. A title most of us involved in disputes about truth and justice would like to claim.  Maybe that’s where we are now as a society and a church. So many wanting to be among the pure, the innocent and the victimized. But to be there means pretending to not see all the truth about ourselves, the church, our nation, and well … humanity. So, I’ll stay with Thomas as a more useful meditation. We only get flawed saints. We only get flawed Christians.

In a perfect world, with a perfect church, inconvenient truths and uncomfortable information would be welcomed. But ours is a more mixed bag of a world. Ours is a church of imperfect saints. Those wanting to avoid and hide from painful reality live alongside those prepared to attend. Those who thoughtlessly press the facts upon gentle souls live alongside those humbly offering new pathways of grace.  And we may disagree on who is who. So, sometimes Benedict’s call to listen with the ear of our heart will hold sway. And sometimes human sin and limitation will govern. 

rag+

Parish development resources: videos and written

Videos

I came across these videos on Christmas Eve. They are from the Diocesan Church Development Institute of the Diocese of Long Island. They are excellent resources. The director of the program is Mother Liz Tunney. Liz and I have worked together over the years in several CDIs. The Long Island team of three priests has done some excellent work here. Liz, Karen Davis-Lawson and Kevin Morris offer clear, thoughtful presentations on parish development theory and methods.  I hope you’ll make good use of it. 

These first four models are from Fill All Things: The Dynamics of Spirituality in the Parish Church. We have also noted webpages and PDFs from other sources that relate to some of the videos.

Shape of the Parish – A model for understanding the forms of faith and practice in any parish church. Suggests a pastoral strategy of acceptance where the person is and invitation to go further. A webpage.  A PDF  Sermon  Webpage: Doing Parish Development during the Virus: Power from the center pervades the whole

Renewal-Apostolate Cycle – The central dynamic of parish life. We are renewed in our baptismal identity and purpose and we serve an apostolate with family and friends, in workplace and civic life.   A PDF 

Christian Life Model – The elements of parish life – worship, doctrine, action and oversight. Website: The Christian Life Model 

The Benedictine Promise – The dynamics in the Benedictine Promise of stability, obedience and conversation of life.  Web pages: Benedictine Spirituality and the Parish Church and The Benedictine DNA of the Episcopal Church  PDF: The Benedictine Promise and the Dynamics of the Spiritual Life

Relationship Cycle in Organizations  - A model for understanding the dynamics of relationship in the parish. How people move into stability in that relationship, how that can grow and be nurtured, and how it can also be disrupted and restored. There is recent written material available on the model at – Relationship Cycle in Parishes.  An upcoming (2021?) Ascension Press book will offer new material on the cycle as it applies to parishes.

Sizing Up a Congregation – A review of size theory.     Webpage – Transitions in parish size Part two    The numbers    A PDF – Doug Walrath offers a somewhat different take on size dynamics.

Affinity Mapping – A way for the parish to deal with a large amount of data coming from a brainstorming session. Especially useful for focusing and organizing ideas when it is a large group, and the ideas are   A useful alternative to the standard brainstorming – prioritizing process. A PDF  A webpage on affinity mapping

Group Development – A look at group development stages.  PDF Stages of Group Developement  Basic Concerns of Any Group, Schutz   Team Structure: Toward Increased Empowerment       

Force Field Analysis – A process developed by Kurt Lewin. Used in the fields of social science, psychology, social psychology, community psychology, communication, organization development, process management, and change management. A webpage on FFA.   Lewin’s model of change (Unfreeze – change – refreeze.)

Intervention Theory - Based on the work of Chris Argyris in Intervention Theory and Method.  It can be seen as the underlying “process outcomes” we are seeking in an intervention, i.e., valid and useful information, free choice, and internal commitment.   A PDF

Introduction to Diocesan Church Development Institute – An overview of the program. The national DCDI website.

Written resources on-line

Parish Life Cycle – The dynamics of the life cycle.

Likes-Concerns-Wishes Process – A structured process for assessing the whole or part of parish life and proposals that have been made.

Contemplation – Intercession – Action – The relationship among these forms of prayer and Christian action.

In Your Holy Spirit model – Exploration of the relationship among Eucharist, Daily Office, Reflection, Community and Service.

Lectio Divina and Spiritual Reading - Methods of prayer

Bonding: Priest and People – Stages of development in the relationship between the priest and the congregation        

The Transformation Model -   An organization development theory looking at the process of Inputs – Transformation Process - Outputs and feedback loops.   A PDF

Three Movements of the Spiritual Life - Henri Nouwen’s model from Reaching Out. A web page focused on the Solitude stage 

And more at – Free documents

Reclothe us in our rightful minds

Here in Seattle we have seen the chief of police, the mayor and the superintendent of schools all decide they have had enough. Nationally the President and his crew engage in futile gestures to overturn the election. Here in Seattle left wing crowds visit the homes of city leaders late at night. And in Michigan right wing, armed protesters, gather at the home of the Secretary of State and there are plots to kidnap the governor. Here in Seattle the left took over a neighborhood and City Hall for a time. In Michigan the right stormed the state capital. I keep returning to Andrew Sullivan in The Weekly Dish: "In the current chaos, I’ve come to appreciate Marcus Aurelius’s maxim that 'The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.'”  

My personal reading in these early Advent days is Luke’s, "Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid."(Luke 8:35)

My personal hymn in these days seems to be “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.” Yes, I know the words seem dated. Still, the insight is on point, and very in-the-moment, for my city, our nation and the weariness of so many in our parishes. A friend said last night, “I hate Zoom.” And I knew, deep in my soul what was meant. And yet I was so thankful to be on Zoom on Thanksgiving to attend mass with the faithful of Atonement, Chicago and On Advent I with St. Clements, Seattle.

The novitiate of the Order of the Ascension has been learning about parish development methods such as the Process of Planned Change, survey feedback, and how to use the Parish Life Cycle as a contemplative and assessment resource. During the work I found myself connecting with “reclothe us in our rightful minds.” How might a survey-feedback process help?

Let me describe survey-feedback in case you don’t know. It’s considered one of the most effective organization development methods we can use in changing any organization for the better.

1.     Prepare and administer a survey

2.     Have a gathering with everyone who filled out the survey. Present the results.

3.     At the meeting join together in analysis and contemplation – what do we make of the survey results? What have we said about our life and work together? What is the work of the Holy Spirit in that?

4.     What do we want to do? The most powerful way of engaging this is for people to self-select themselves into working groups around issues, and opportunities that have emerged from the contemplation and analysis.

It takes careful preparation and competent facilitation. The level of participation, along with reflective spirit, and a mix of qualitative and quantitative information seems to enable group energy and investment, a high degree of internal commitment to decisions, and increased trust.

During the pandemic it would need modification. You can’t bring a large number of people together for a whole day or weekend. So, think 1 ½ hours on Zoom. Maybe a second 1 ½ the follow week. And, it’s not wise to engage major issues in parish life when you can’t be face-to-face or spend enough time together. If it can wait until the pandemic eases – wait!

The most obvious set of issues and dynamics to work on are those rising out of how the parish is living through the pandemic. A number of parishes have conducted surveys in recent months. Many were very well done. Most could have had more impact if there had been a communal form of contemplation and analysis and the opportunity to move into some form of intercession and action based on that reflection and conversation.

In parish use it’s wise to integrate the method with a process of “Contemplation – Intercession - Action.”  Times of silence and prayer, hymns and a slowed pace, careful and structured conversation.

It’s rather basic to the Christian life that our action flows from our prayer. Evelyn Underhill taught that for our action, our service, to be much good it needed to flow from adoration and awe.[i] 

Parish life rooted in the fullness of prayer is the base for communal and individual discernment. And for parish leaders, it is the soil for all the interventions made in the work of parish revitalization and development. If the Threefold Rule of Prayer (Eucharist, Daily Office, Personal devotions, especially reflection) is the broad backdrop of prayer, the pattern that over time causes the parish to be soaked in prayer; is there also a model that might offer us a more direct connection between prayer and decisions about interventions? 

I’ve made use of  the “Contemplation – Intercession – Action” model[ii] as a way of understanding the more immediate process. This model connects the tasks of seeing things as they are in themselves and in the Divine Life of God, of connecting ourselves to the concerns and people involved, and from that place acting.

For some parishes a process of survey-feedback mixed with “Contemplation – Intercession – Action” could be a way of being reclothed in our rightful minds. An opportunity for people to join together in the stewardship of parish life, to listen to one another, and have a time of dignity and hope. This is not the preacher telling us what being in our right minds looks like, as useful as that can be. It is the experience of being in our right minds in all our individual uniqueness within a community of love.

rag+ 

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[i] “One’s first duty is adoration, and one’s second duty is awe and only one’s third duty is service. And that for those three things and nothing else, addressed to God and no one else, you and I and all other countless human creatures evolved upon the surface of this planet were created. We observe then that two of the three things for which our souls were made are matters of attitude, of relation: adoration and awe. Unless these two are right, the last of the triad, service, won’t be right. Unless the whole of your...life is a movement of praise and adoration, unless it is instinct with awe, the work which the life produces won’t be much good” Evelyn Underhill

[ii] “Contemplation – Intercession – Action” model, Robert Gallagher, 1990, 2020